have a lot to answer for

idiom

: to be responsible for many bad things that have happened
The company executives have a lot to answer for.

Examples of have a lot to answer for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The spreaders of the Big Lie have a lot to answer for and they should all be held accountable. Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2022 Businesses are going to be questioned more and more on their short-term, measurable targets and those that don’t have their story straight will have a lot to answer for. Alliance Manchester Business School, Forbes, 24 June 2021

Dictionary Entries Near have a lot to answer for

Cite this Entry

“Have a lot to answer for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have%20a%20lot%20to%20answer%20for. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!